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Route · RDU → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Raleigh/Durham to Washington

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), RDU to DCA (Raleigh/Durham to Washington) ranks #884 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

77.9%
On-time
-1.1 pts
vs US avg
77 min
Delay when late
12,305
Flights
#884 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.9%

Best Month

Feb 2024 87%

Worst Month

Oct 2025 49%

Distance

227 mi

Carriers

32

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 158 56 4 0 YX,OH,AA,MQ
Nov 2025 163 58 6 1 MQ,OH,AA,YX
Oct 2025 178 91 1 0 AA,OH,YX
Sep 2025 172 56 2 0 OH,YX,AA
Aug 2025 163 58 5 0 AA,YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 145 48 17 0 AA,OH,YX,F9,MQ
Jun 2025 146 42 12 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
May 2025 171 44 6 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 171 46 0 0 MQ,OH,YX,AA
Mar 2025 176 50 1 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Feb 2025 158 49 16 1 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 168 27 14 2 OH,YX,MQ
Dec 2024 219 68 2 0 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Nov 2024 231 57 0 0 9E,MQ,YX,OH,AA
Oct 2024 232 47 0 0 YX,AA,9E,OH
Sep 2024 220 62 4 4 YX,OH,9E,AA
Aug 2024 229 68 11 1 AA,MQ,YX,9E,OH
Jul 2024 230 71 11 1 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Jun 2024 224 61 1 0 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 235 84 5 0 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 221 63 4 0 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Mar 2024 227 53 0 1 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Feb 2024 227 29 0 0 9E,AA,MQ,OH,YX
Jan 2024 227 63 13 0 9E,AA,MQ,YX,OH

RDU–DCA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (83.9%) · weakest: July (72.7%)

70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 73.6%

Strongest calendar month

February

83.9% on-time · ~210 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~234 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.7% on-time · ~182 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.9%

135 of 4,691 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

11 of 4,691 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

RDU - Raleigh/Durham

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Raleigh/Durham, NC.

RDU on-time profile

DCA - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

DCA on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See RDU and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare RDU vs DCA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among RDU departures

From RDU, this corridor sits with 25 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 35 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (9 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #3874 of 4927.

What the Data Says About RDU to DCA

The Raleigh/Durham to Washington corridor (RDU to DCA) posts a 77.9% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 12,305 tracked flights. Late flights run 76.6 minutes behind on average. 32 carriers cover the 227-mile route; over the last 24 months, 135 of 4,691 flights were cancelled (2.9%) and 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 87% on-time, while Oct 2025 came in at just 49% - a 38-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, RDU–DCA peaks in February at 83.9% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~234 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.7%, a 11.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does RDU to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, RDU to DCA ranks #884 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from RDU to DCA? ▼
Flights from Raleigh/Durham to Washington have a 77.9% on-time rate based on 12,305 flights. The average delay is 76.6 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 87% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for RDU to DCA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (135 of 4,691 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from RDU to DCA? ▼
The flight distance from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Washington (DCA) is approximately 227 miles. This route is served by 32 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from RDU to DCA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (87% on-time). The worst was Oct 2025 (49% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

RDU Airport

Raleigh/Durham
DCA Airport

Washington
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using RDU–DCA data

RDU–DCA is mid-pack at 77.9% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare RDU and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. RDU airport
  • If your dates flex, February (83.9% on-time) beats July (72.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 77.9% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.